Esther 4

Mordecai mourned in sackcloth and sent word to Esther urging her to go before the king to plead for her people. Esther agreed, telling Mordecai to gather the Jews to fast for three days, declaring, ‘If I perish, I perish.’

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;	When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
2	And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.	He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.
3	And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.	In every province wherever the king's command and decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and lamenting. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4	So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.	When Esther's young women and her chamberlains came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth. But he would not accept them.
5	Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.	Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king's chamberlains who had been assigned to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to find out what was happening and why.
6	So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.	So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city before the king's gate.
7	And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.	Mordecai told him everything that had happened and the exact amount of silver Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.
8	Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.	He also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Shushan for their destruction, so that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her. He told him to urge Esther to go before the king to beg for mercy and to plead with him for her people.
9	And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.	Hathach went back and reported Mordecai's words to Esther.
10	Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;	Then Esther told Hathach to go back with this message for Mordecai:
11	All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.	"All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king in the inner court without being summoned, there is one law — that he be put to death, unless the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. I have not been summoned to come before the king for thirty days."
12	And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.	When they reported Esther's words to Mordecai,
13	Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.	Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Do not think that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.
14	For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?	For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows whether you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?"
15	Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,	Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16	Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.	"Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Shushan and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My young women and I will fast the same way. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish."
17	So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.	So Mordecai went away and did everything Esther had commanded him.